Minister pleased with Zimbabwe permits applications

Oscar Thomas
21 November 2014

Minister of Home Affairs Malusi Gigaba on Thursday said there has been a high level of compliance from Zimbabweans in the country.

This as the Departments Dispensation of Zimbabweans Project process is going well. 

The ZSP will allow Zimbabweans in the country to work, conduct business or study in the country for three years until the end of December 2017.

Gigaba said we are quite happy with the process as it is going.

Gigaba said the capacity that we have is sufficient for us to be able to deal with this process within the timelines that we have established for ourselves.

Gigaba said because this process deals with 249 000 people, up to so far, we have received 64% electronic applications.

“So there is a very high level of compliance and we are confident that come December 31st, all the 249 000 Zimbabweans would have submitted their on-line applications and they would then be undergoing this process here in all the facilities we have established across the country to ensure that we can deal with their applications Gigaba added.

Meanwhile Gigaba said the process will not be open ended as the department will be strict on due dates set out.

Gigaba said in the main the department is trying to ensure that there is a database of foreign nationals that are in the country.

Gigaba said the department said the ZSP will hopefully be finished by April next year.

Gigaba said he expected that all permits will have been issued by March next year.

Gigaba said Zimbabwean nationals who have submitted applications but have not had their permits issued will be allowed to cross Beitbridge should they wish to go home during the festive season and be allowed back into the country, provided their applications have been captured.

Gigaba said Once the Zimbabwean Special Project has been concluded, his department would then look at using the Visa Facilitation Centres to process applications from other foreign nationals from Southern African countries.

Gigaba said from now we will begin a process of dealing with Basotho, then dealing with Mozambican nationals and other SADC nationals that are in the country so that we have all of them registered. 

“In the main, we are also trying to ensure that we have got a database of all the foreign nationals that are in our country so that we can keep them within our own systems in Home Affairs and ensure that they are also accessible to other services of the state should they be required Gigaba added.